Harbour Island wastewater project in full swing with new underground tunnel
TAMPA, Fla. - An 80-foot hole near Amalie Arena is the gateway to a new underground tunnel that will help carry 15 million gallons of sewage a day in Tampa – about 30% of the city’s wastewater.
"This tunnel will go from here about 80 feet straight down in the shaft, turn and go about two thirds of a mile underneath Sparkman Channel, underneath Garrison Channel to Port Tampa Bay," Eric Weiss, the director of the City of Tampa’s Wastewater Department, said.
The tunnel that workers recently completed is part of the Harbour Island Force Main Replacement Project that started in August 2022. It’s a $79 million project that’s part of Mayor Jane Castor’s 20-year pipe replacement program, Weiss said.
He said they’re replacing the aging pipeline, built about 70 years ago, and staying ahead of the city’s growth.
"It’s not 1950 anymore. Harbour Island is very well dense and built out well with homes and businesses. It's not a place to put in a new four and a half diameter wastewater pipe. There's no room. So, we had to look at alternatives to get around Harbour Island," Weiss said.
The tunnel will help carry 15 million gallons of sewage a day.
So, they built one of the longest micro-tunnels in North America with the help of Vadnais Trenchless Services, a subcontractor of Kimmins Contracting Corporation. At 3,200 feet long, it’s the second-longest pipe tunnel in the United States and the longest steel-cased micro-tunnel in the Western Hemisphere, the city said.
"What a micro tunnel is, is it's a boring machine that’ll cut through the ground, and that could be limestone or very yellow clays or silt, but it's done remotely from up here on the surface with a lot of computers that monitor everything that's going on, and it has laser technology to keep it online," Weiss said.
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He said if they didn’t replace the pipeline, sewage leaks could be catastrophic.
"There could be leaks of wastewater into the Bay, you know, which could lead to seagrasses dying and algal blooms. And this is all the city of Tampa’s effort for sustainability to stay ahead of something like that ever happening," Weiss said.
It’s a $79 million project.
Crews are installing the new wastewater pipeline inside the tunnel right now. In November, they’ll connect the new pipeline from the wastewater treatment plant to Water and Franklin Streets.
"This project isn’t just about pipelines; it’s a testament to innovation and hard work," Mayor Castor said. "The Harbour Island Force Main Replacement is a collaborative effort between the City of Tampa, Vadnais Trenchless Services, and the local community, all driving towards a cleaner, more efficient future for Tampa’s Tomorrow."
The project is expected to be finished in May 2024. Weiss said Hurricane Ian and navigating tough soil delayed the project a few months.
Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park is still open to the public during the construction.